Heat-regulating device for incubators



(No Model.)

H. A. GOFFIN.

HEAT REGULATING DBVIGE FOR INGUBATORS.

'N0.461,534; Patented0ot.20,1891.

UNITED STATES 'ATENT OFF CE.

HENRY A. COFFIN, OF BURLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEAT-REGULATING DEVICE FOR INCUBATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,534, dated October20, 1891.

Application filed January 5, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY A. COFFIN, of

Burlington, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Heat-Regulating DevicesforIncubators, of which the followingis a specification, reference beinghad to the drawings accompanying and forming a parthereof, in whichFigure 1 is a vertical lengthwise section of an incubator having myinvention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the watertank.Fig. 3 is a plan View of part of the incubator, showing the regulatingapparatus. Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the flame-governor.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the value of an incubatoris largely due to the accuracy and sensitiveness of the heatregulatingdevice.

My present invention has for its chief object to provide an incubatorwith means whereby the temperature thereof may be perfectly regulated;and it consists in heat-regulating devices for incubators having thepeculiarities of construction and arrangement hereinafter described, andin which a heatregulating or flame-governing device is automaticallyoperated by the expansion and contraction of the air and water containedin the water-tank of the incubator, all as hereinafter set forth, andthe novel features of which are more particularly pointed out in theclaims which are appended hereto and made a part hereof.

My invention will be readily understood from the following description,in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings of an incubatorwhich embodies my invention in the best form now known to me.

A is an outer box or case, which may be of wood or other suitablematerial. At either end of this boX are partitions 1), between whichand-the ends of the box is placed a packing of cork-dust or othersuitable non-conducting material. Above the floor of the box A andbetween the end partitions b is a piece 0, which forms the floor of theegg-chamber. The piece 0 is raised a sufficient distance from the bottomA of the outer case to allow for a sufficient air-space d underneath.

Serial No. 376,692. (Nomodel) c are egg-cases which rest on suitablesupports f in the incubator-chamber.-

g is the water-tank, which rests on suitable supports it in the top ofthe incubator-chamber, and through this tank project ventilators j,which pass up through the packing of corkdust or other similar materialwhich is placed prongs against the interior of the pipe holds the coverin its adjusted position. An inletpipe m with a proper faucet isprovided, by means of which water may be supplied to the tank. The tankis connected in the usual manner by means of pipes with a boiler orwater-heater n, which is preferably placed outside of one end of theincubatorcase A. The boiler 71 is a tubular boiler or heater for holdingthe water, .with a cylindrical aperture 0 passing vertically through it.A lampp is provided, which is mounted on a suitable support in suchposition that the flame of the lamp will be directly under the verticaltube 0, which passes through the water-heater. The lamp is of common construction and is provided with a flame-governor. (More clearly shown inFigs. 4 and 5.) This governor consists of a caseq, of substantially theshape of the wick-case of the lamp, and which is perforated, as shown,Fig. 5. The case q is adapted to slide vertically over the wick and ismounted on a wire or rod 0' of the shape shown, Fig. 4, which is pivotedat sin the lamp-burner frame. By raising the end if ofthe wire 1" thecase (1 will be raised and the flame partially quenched, thus lesseningthe heat. By reversing the movement of the wire 1' the flame will beincreased and the heat strengthened, as will be clear.

For the purpose of automatically shifting the flame-governor case q uponthe slightest change in the temperature of the incubatorchamber, I haveprovided the following device: On top of the case A (see Fig. 1) isplaced a frame a, and on said frame or on a partial cover placed thereonis an upright b. In the top of the upright is pivoted alever c, theswing of which is governed by the thumb-screws (1, one of which isplaced on either side'of the pivot of the lever c, as shown. The shortend of the lever c is provided with a balance-weight e, which may beshifted on the lever and set by means of a thumb'screw in any positiondesired. For the purpose of enabling lever c to regulate the flame ofthe lamp, to the other end of the lever c is secured a connecting-rod f,which projects downward and is hooked at its lower end to an eye on theend t of the wire 0' of the flame-regulator. of the lever c is pivoted adownwardly-projecting rod g, near the lower end of which is secured aninverted-cup-shaped vessel h, the mouth of which projects below thesurface of the liquid j. The liquid 9" is contained in a chamber formedby a cylindrical vessel L, which rests on top of the tank 9 and whichprojects upward through an opening in the top of the incubator-case Ainside the case a. In the center of the cylindrical vessel 7t andprojecting vertically from the bottom of said vessel isatube Z, whichopens into the top of the tank g,so as to connect the air-space which isabove the water in the tank with the air-space in the inverted cup orbell shaped vessel It. The liquid j is used to seal the bell-shapedvessel and is preferably of thick consistency, like glycerine or water,with oil on top of it to prevent evaporation. By this arrangement a veryslight degree of expansion or contraction of the air and water in thetank y will perceptibly affect the position of the lever c, andconsequently the flame-regulator.

The bottom of the water-tank g is slightly arched, as will be seen byreference to Fig. 2, which shows a cross-section of the tank. Thisarching of the bottom of the tank not only increases its strength,butalso insures the greatest body of water being at the edges, where thecold is most apt to aifect the in- Ncar to the pivot cubator-chamber.Cool air is let into the egg- 5 a chamber through the hole a to keep thechamber well ventilated. The spaced is filled with air, which acts as anon-conductor.

What I claim is 1. In combination, a water-tank, aheater, and suitableconnect-ingpipes between the heater and the tank, aheat-regulatingdevice comprising a flame-governor for the lamp, a lever connected withsaid governor, and a bell-shaped vessel connected with said lever on andhaving its mouth sealed, and a tube con necting the air-space in saidbell-shaped vessel with the air-space in the tank, substantially asshown and described.

2. The combination, with the watentank, of 6 q a heat-regulating devicetherefor, consisting of a balanced lever and suitable means foractuating said lever from the expansion or contraction of the air andwater in the watertank, and a flame-regulator connected with said lever,substantially as shown and described.

The combination, with the water-tank, of a heat-regulator consisting ofa pivoted lever, means whereby said lever is actuated from the expansionor contraction of the air and water in the tank, and a flame-governorcon nected with said lever, said governor consisting of a perforatedcase surrounding the wick and adapted to be moved vertically relativelythereto by means of a pivoted rod, to which the case is secured and withwhich the said lever of the regulator is also connected, substantiallyas shown and described.

4. The combination, with the water-tank, of a heat-regulating devicetherefor, comprising a flame-governor, a pivoted balanced leverconnected therewith, a vessel It, containing a sealing-fluid, a tube Z,opening into the airspace of the tank, a bell-shaped vessel h, sealed bysaid fluid and covering the upper end of said tube Z, said bell-shapedvessel being suspended from the pivoted lever, substantially as shownand described.

HENRY A. (,BOFFIN. \Vitnesses:

WM. A. MAoLEoD, ROBERT WALLACE.

